


Crossroads

by csichick_2



Category: Stargate - All Series, Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-29
Updated: 2016-04-29
Packaged: 2018-06-04 19:27:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6672526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/csichick_2/pseuds/csichick_2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With rumors of both the declassifying of the Stargate Program and the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Cam finds himself at a crossroads.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crossroads

**Author's Note:**

  * For [angelus2hot](https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelus2hot/gifts).



The longer Atlantis was sitting cloaked in the San Francisco Bay, the more likely it was that the Stargate Program was going to end up becoming declassified. That is something that Cam has mixed feelings about. On the one hand, it will be nice to finally be able to tell his family what he’s been doing for the military for the last several years. On the other hand, that might make his relationship with John even more complicated. Part of the reason John and Cam have been able to hide their relationship so long for so well is that for most of their careers they have been stationed in different places. That leads directly into the second reason is that it has also been and on-and-off relationship. John’s marriage wasn’t their longest off period, but for Cam it was the most painful.

But now that they’re both on Earth, they are able to see each other a lot more often, that makes their relationship a lot harder to hide. While there have been rumblings that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell will be repealed, it hasn’t happened yet, which means both their careers will be over if the wrong person finds out. General O’Neill thankfully does not fall into the category of the wrong person – he would ever explicitly say anything, but Cam is fairly certain that he’s figured it out. Sam would neither confirm or deny his suspicious, simply stating that if Jack knew, he wouldn’t care, and would Cam please stop pacing a hole in her carpet. She’s obviously not in the wrong person category, and has known about John and Cam almost as long as there has been a John and Cam. She’d bearded for both of them at different points in their career, and neither man will ever be appropriately able to thank her. Cam knows there are a couple members of the Atlantis expedition that know, but John didn’t share anything besides “it’s not McKay, I’m not that stupid.”

Both of these unknown for the future leave Cam in a quandary. He knows better than to make John talk about feelings, but Cam knew long ago that if he was ever going to settle down with anyone, it would be with John. And now that he’s been in the Air Force long enough to start giving thought to retirement, he’s also started to think about settling down. If he retires, he wouldn’t have to hide his sexuality anymore, but he knows that he can never ask John to do the same. John needs Atlantis as much as Atlantis needs him, so as long as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is still policy John has to remain closeted. Should the city ever return to the its rightful home in the Pegasus Galaxy, it would be much easier to hide their relationship there. But just like Cam would never ask John to give up the city, John would never ask Cam to follow him there. The Mitchell clan is far more close-knight than other families and Cam feels guilty enough not being able to tell them what he does. He doesn’t want to add not being able to tell them where he is to that. Declassifying the program would allow Cam to entertain the possibility of going to Atlantis. Unfortunately, it would also open another can of worms.

Even though they’re the same age, Cam outranks John for reasons they’re both well aware of, though Cam has repeatedly called them bullshit. If Cam were to express interest in the Atlantis expedition, his higher rank could be used to force John out of his command position, which is something Cam refuses to let happen. John deserves that command and Cam will do whatever he has to in order to make sure he keeps it. That means that the only way that John and Cam can be both together in the same place and open about their relationship is for both the Stargate Program to become declassified and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to repealed.

Much to Cam’s surprise, the repeal comes first. He had thought that has a subject that would have been the simply the topic of conversation for decades without anything actually being done about it. General O’Neill confirms that he had in fact known about John and Cam’s relationship when he tells Cam that Sam has a horrible poker face when informing him that he’s granted both him and John leave time so that John can be properly introduced to the Mitchell clan. Cam is both excited and nervous when he does make that introduction. While it’s nice to have one less lie to have to tell his family, there are also plenty of career military men in the family that might not be thrilled. He does notice one of his father’s cousins giving him and John the stink-eye, but fortunately the man doesn’t say anything. However, his immediate family all support the couple, and they’re the only ones whose opinions Cam actually cares about. Even if his mother thoroughly embarrassed them both when she declared how happy she was that she wouldn’t have to pretend not to know about them anymore.

Since personnel were able to beam back and forth between Cheyenne Mountain and Atlantis, Cam had taken to spending most nights in the city with John. Neither of them talked about the elephant in the room, but Cam knew they would have to eventually. There have been rumblings about letting the city return to Pegasus, and so far everything is just as classified as its always been.

The day the official word came through that Atlantis had been granted permission to return home, was also the day the Pentagon had a massive security breach which made the Stargate Program a leading news story. The government’s best computer experts were puzzled as to what happened, but anyone that had spent enough time with Jack O’Neill recognized the shit-eating grin he gave as he was being interviewed and knew who was behind. Cam suspects that alien technology may have been involved and that no one will ever figure it out because they don’t know what they’re looking for.

After a long talk with his mother to make sure he’s doing the right the thing, he puts in for retirement and informs General Landry that he’ll be accompanying John as his significant other when Atlantis returns to the Pegasus Galaxy. Landry all but begs Cam to try and keep John out of trouble and hints that there are civilian positions available in the expedition should he be interested. Cam says thanks but no thanks as he has a sneaking suspicion that Landry wants to try and use him to force Woolsey out of the same position Sam was forced out of, but that’s more responsibility than Cam wants to deal with ever.

The day Atlantis finally departs its temporary home in the San Francisco Bay is bittersweet. Being that far from his family will be hard, but Cam knows being able to tell them where he is and what he’s doing will make it easier. Besides, John is his family too and now they can be together without having to hide.


End file.
